U.S. Considers Military Action to Free O.C. Couple Held by Pirates

The United States is considering military action to obtain the release of a former Newport Beach couple captured by Somali pirates this week, CNN reported today.

The Quest, owned by Jean and Scott Adam, was among a flotilla of yachts when it was seized this week about 270 miles off the coast of Oman in the Indian Ocean. The pair had been traveling the world distributing Bibles, according to the Adams' website svquest.com.

The U.S. military is prepared to intervene in the situation if necessary,  Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette, deputy commander of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, told CNN.

According to CNN, another U.S. official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation, said the United States is determining what military assets are in the region and the capabilities of the personnel onboard. The official said that the pirates are believed to be on board the yacht with the Americans, and the next step would be to determine whether the military could keep the yacht from reaching the shore—either by blocking or harassing it.

The couple began their around-the-world trip in  2004, the beginning of a planned 10-year voyage, according to their website.

Piracy has flourished off Somalia's coast for two decades. Since 2005, many international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the World Food Programme, have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy.